Method for spinning glass



May 2, 1939.

c. G. HARFORD ET AL METHOD FOR SPINNING GLASS Elma/rm:

May 2, 1939- c. e. HARFQRD ET AL 2,156,982v

METHOD FOR SPINNING GLASS Original Filed March 9, 1934 Sheets-Sheet 2Patented May 2, 1939 PATENT OFFICE 2,156,982 METHOD FOR SPINNING GLASSCharles GrHarford, Wollaston, Mass, and Earl Stafford, Philadelphia,Pa., assignors to Arthur D. Little, Inc., a corporation of MassachusettsApplication March 9, 1934, Serial No. 714,776 Renewed May 12, 1938 9'Claims. (01. 83-91) I Our invention relates to a method and apparatusfor flowing a stream of molten glass or other material and spinning itinto fine threads which may be collected into a loose mass known I inthe trade as wool. The invention in its preferred form comprises meansfor flowing a small stream of molten glass onto a horizontally disposeddisk or spinning element which is rotated at a high speed and therebydraws the molten stream out into a fine thread or filament.

Referring to the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a part sectional side elevation of apparatus constructed inaccordance with our invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view, the feeder being omitted. Fig. 3 is a sectionalelevation at the line III-III on Fig. 2.

Referring to Fig. l, a furnace tank 10 provides a continuous supply ofmolten glass H which flows into the forehearth extension or boot l2, thelatter provided with a bottom outlet opening [3 through which the glassissues and fiows downward continuously in a small stream H. The size. Iof the stream may' be regulated by a vertically adjustable plug IS.

The spinning machine comprises a framework IS in which is rotativelymounted a vertical shaft I! having upper and lower bearings l8 and IS inthe framework. A horizontally disposed spin- .ning element, which may bein the form of a cupped disk 20, is mounted on the upper end of theshaft II. The disk, when molten glass is being treated, is made ofsillimanite, steel, or other suitable material capable of withstanding.the high temperatures to which it is subjected. The disk 20if madefforexample, of sillimanite, is preferably mounted in a steel holder orcarrier 2| designed to prevent cracking or other damage the frame I6 isa casing 21 which may surround the spinning disk to receive and preventscattering of the glass wool as it is thrown from the spinning disk.

In operation, the stream 14 of molten glass flows continuously onto thespinning disk 20 at a point which is preferably adjacent the center ofthe disk. The stream of molten or plastic .drawn out to the desiredfineness. 28 may be inclined or curved upwardly to any glass as it isbrought progressively into contact Withthe rapidly rotating disk, isdrawn out into a comparatively fine thread or filament which is carriedor thrown by centrifugal force toward the periphery of the disk. Thelatter is formed with an'upwardly and outwardly inclined peripheralsurface 28 which prevents the glass from being thrown off the diskbefore it has been The surface desired. extent, depending on thespecific results desired. The glass as it is thus spun into a finefilament is immediately cooled and solidified by its exposure to theatmosphere and accumulates in a loose mass within the casing 2'! fromwhich it may be removed manually or automatically. The fineness of thefiber may be adjustably regulated by adjusting the size of the stream14, by regulating its temperature, by adjustably varying the speed ofthe disk, and by adjusting the position of the spinning disk beneath thestream so that the latter falls on the disk at a greater or lessdistance from the center thereof. The upper surface of the disk 20 maybe roughened to provide the desired frictional contact with the glassand prevent it from being thrown too rapidly or prematurely from thedisk.

In the preferred form of the invention, as herein shown, the spinningelement 26 is horizontally disposed with the stream of molten glassfalling upon its upper surface. The invention, however, is not limitedto this particular position or arrangement of the spinning element. Inwhatever position it is placed, the high speed of the spinning elementflings the material outwardly by centrifugal force so that it is drawninto fine threads or filaments. m

Although molten glass is the material which is particularly describedherein, the process is' adapted for use with other materials which canbe worked while in a viscous and molten condition. These materialsshould be run onto the spinning element while they are at such atemperature that as they. are projected from the spinning element theyare near enough to the solidifying temperature to string out intofilaments and harden or set in that shape. The invention can bepracticed with any materials which possess these required physicalproperties or characteristics. Glass, resin and various grades of hardasphalts are examples of materials which have been successfully used inpracticing this method of making fibrous material.

Modifications may be resorted to within th spirit and scope of ourinvention.

projectingfrom a supply body of molten material,

an integral stream of said material in viscous condition, contactingsaid stream at a point rem om the uppl body with a surface rotating at ahigh velocity about an axis, and continuously attenuating said stream toa fine filament after contact with said surface and throwing itcontinuously from said surface by the force applied thereto throughcontact with said'surface, while maintaining the continuity of saidsupply body, streamand filament.

2. The method which comprises continually projecting froma supply bodyof molten material, an integral stream of said material in viscouscondition, contacting said stream at a point remote from the supply bodywith a surface rotating at a high velocity about an axis parallel withthe stream flow, and continuously attenuating said stream to a finefilament by the force applied thereto through contact with said surface,while maintaining the continuity of said supply body, stream andfilament.

3. The method which comprises flowing an in-- tegral stream ofheat-plastic material from a supply body of molten material onto amechanical element rotating at a high speed and thereby arresting thestream, and causing said element continuously to draw out into a finefilament the arrested material and throw it off said element bycentrifugal force while still integrally united with the supply body.

4. The method which comprises flowing an integral stream of heat-plasticmaterial from a supply body of molten material onto a mechanical elementrotating at a high speed and thereby arresting the stream, causing saidelement continuously to draw out into a fine filament the arrestedmaterial and throw it ofi said element by centrifugal force as it isformed, and causing said filament to solidify while still integrallyunited with the supply body and oncoming stream.

5. The method which comprises continually projecting from a supply bodyof molten glass, an integral stream of said material in viscouscondition, contacting said stream at a point remote from the supply bodywith a surface rotating at high velocity about an axis, and continuouslyattenuating said stream to a fine filament after contact with saidsurface, and throwing it continually from said surface by the forceapplied thereto through contact with said surface, while maintaining thecontinuity of said supply body, stream, the glass on said surface, andfilament.

6. The method which comprises flowing an integral stream of molten glassfrom a supply body of molten glass onto a mechanical element rotating athigh speed and thereby arresting the stream, and causing said elementcontinuousli to draw out into a fine filament the arrested material andthrowing it ofi said element by centrifugal force while still integrallyunited with the supply body.

7. The method which comprises flowing an integral stream of molten glassfrom a supply body of molten glass into a mechanical element rotating athigh speed .and thereby arresting the stream of glass, causing saidrotating element continuously to draw out into a fine filament thearrested material and throw it off said element by centrifugal force asit is formed, and causing said filament to solidify while stillintegrally united with the supply body and oncoming stream.

8. The method which comprises establishing a supply body of moltenglass, flowing an integral stream of molten glass from said supply bodyonto a mechanical element rotatingat a high speed and thereby arrestingthe stream, causing said element to continuously draw out the arnestedglass by centrifugal force while maintaining traction between thesurface of said element and the glass thereon, causing said glass to bethrown 01f said element by centrifugal force in the form of a finefilament, and causing said filament to solidify while still integrallyunited with the supply body and oncoming stream.

9. They method which comprises establishing a supply body of. moltenglass, flowing an integral stream of molten glass from said supply bodyonto a mechanical element rotating at a high speed about a vertical axissubstantially parallel to and spaced away from the line of said streamflow and thereby arresting the stream, causing said element tocontinuously draw out over the surface of said element the arrestedglass by centrifugal force while maintaining traction between thesurface of said element and the glass thereon, causing said glass to bethrown off said element by centrifugal force in the form of finefilaments each integrally united with the supply body and oncomingstream, and causing said .filaments to solidify while still integrallyunited with the supply body and oncoming stream.

CHARLES G. HARFORD.

EARL STAFFORD.

